Traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion to control their victims. This was the case with George. Without you, George would have been alone.

GIVE NOW

Many people think human trafficking only happens in big cities, but sex and labor trafficking are happening in the Big Bend. In fact, Hurricane Michael has left more people vulnerable to traffickers who prey upon those who lack stable housing, food, job opportunities, and healthcare. Thanks to your generous support, Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) is working with our partners to respond to this growing need, but we must do more.

Will you join me in making a tax-deductible gift to STAC on #GivingTuesday? 

You don’t have to wait until then: It’s easy to give now. The STAC Board and Team are matching donations up to $3,500, thus strengthening the impact you can make. Your gifts provide direct assistance to sex and labor trafficking survivors of all ages and make education programs throughout the region possible. Will you help? Here’s a recent example of how you change lives:

George’s Story

A man, whom we’ll call “George” to protect his privacy, was trafficked to the Panhandle to work on roofing jobs following Hurricane Michael. An undocumented worker, George was promised good wages and housing, but none of this was true. He was forced to work long hours in unsafe conditions and to sleep outside in the cold and rain. When George was seriously injured on the job, his traffickers would not allow him to seek medical care.

Traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion to control their victims. This was the case with George who was very frightened. By the time he escaped and contacted STAC, George had a badly infected wound. Thanks to you, STAC was able to work with a local partner to help George access medical care and prescriptions. Your donations also provided clothing, food, and housing while our case manager helped connect George to legal support.

Without you, George would have been alone. There are many others like him in our region. STAC’s victim assistance director keeps hours every week at the Kearney Center, our region’s homeless shelter, where she meets dozens of people who have been trafficked or are at risk for being trafficked. Thanks to you, she can be there to provide one-on-one support and group training.

Education is the number-one tool we have for ending trafficking. With your help, STAC trains law enforcement, health care professionals, educators, social workers, and everyday people to recognize, report, and prevent trafficking. In 2018, we trained more than 2,000 people, thanks to you.

More survivors need us, and we must work together to protect vulnerable members of our community.

Here’s how you can help:

  • $10 Provides a gift card to help a survivor purchase a meal in an emergency.
  • $25 Provides one comfort pack with emergency essentials (toothbrush, shampoo, razor, feminine hygiene products, etc.) for a survivor who has just escaped.
  • $50 Helps a survivor obtain identification documents (often stolen by traffickers).
  • $88 Provides a bus ticket for a survivor who needs to safely relocate (sometimes quickly).
  • $200 Helps a survivor pay the rent while he or she is looking for employment.
  • $300 Underwrites the cost of a training session for dozens of people who learn how to recognize, report, and prevent trafficking.

Human trafficking is not insurmountable if we stand together. Please join me in making a gift to STAC on #GivingTuesday.

Sincerely,

Robin and the STAC Team

Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA

Executive Director

Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC)

P.S. STAC is a member of the National Human Trafficking Hotline. We use yellow sticky notes posted on hotel room mirrors, bathroom stalls, and other places victims are likely to frequent to promote the hotline. Any donation amount you can give will help, but $210 underwrites the cost of 500 sticky note pads. We can blanket the Big Bend with these notes to let survivors know that help is available! It’s easy to give here.